Seeing God's Power Instead of the Storm

 

Sunday afternoon. I look up from my computer and see a small area of blue sky and sunshine. We are rapidly losing our snow. I don't mind at all. Winter lasts forever and takes away all hope of another spring. And then suddenly, the forever of winter is over and hope comes alive with buds forming and muddy walking trails. 

Bruce and I are leaving on our first trip to Europe this week. It's our anniversary month. 27 years, if you were wondering...In 2020 we started picking and doing an adventure of some sort in the dead of winter. This year we are finally able to go to Italy.

One thing I am learning about life is that it brings lows with highs and sorrows with joys. It's often both at the same time. Also, I am thankful more than ever for the steadfast love of our God. His faithfulness unto all generations.

I have a current situation where fear lingers on the edges of trust. If even for a moment, I take my eyes off God Almighty and His power and His victory, the fear and darkness of early evenings swoops in and tries to overtake my trust in the Maker of heaven and earth and all things.

What kinds of things steals your trust and your ability to rest in God? One biggie for me used to be how well my people got along around me. When the kids were little, their bickering and boo boos made me feel responsible to take the blame of those moments. 

My kids are grown now, but my tendency to take on the sorrows of my world and the people closest to me, are still a habit I am constantly bringing to God to make me more aware of the fact that "I can't, but God can." If I must be a sponge, make me a sponge for the things of God. Like, praise and worship in the middle of a storm.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the fear and turmoil during the storms, we can't see the power of the Maker of the storms. We forget that God says, I will go before you and I fight your battles for you. 

This week, there was a particular dark storm, lots of thunder and crashing and lightning zaps running through my soul, when God reminded me of praise. "Say thank you, Shilah!" I distinctly heard this prompt.

For a split second, I pondered how and why should I? But I did it. I began to say to God, "Yes, I trust You. You are good. You know the front and back and all that is in between. You made this storm for a purpose. I don't know what You are doing, I can't see it, but I trust You, because you care for me. You are Life Abundant, The Living Water, The Bread of Life, My Everything."

Within minutes something I have been praying for for many months occurred right before my eyes. This was God at work. And He used praise and worship of Him to get my eyes off myself and my real life storm.

There is no tidy way to wrap up this thought. A part of me wishes I could stop dancing around the subjects of which I write and say it clearly. But truthfully, the challenge is there for all and in these metaphors I use. God uses all things to show us Himself and me going in to detail about what and how and who, might make a good story, but could be distracting from the lesson. 

I wonder sometimes, if we tell too many details and stories and give too many explanations. Ultimately, It's the work that God is doing that needs to be shared. I love real stories and use them when I can. But if you are learning something about God that would say too much about someone else and distract from God's lesson to you, find a way to share it.